Heavy rain and mixed results were the running themes for the Dartmouth field hockey team this weekend.
The Big Green first overwhelmed Yale to win 4-1 on a wet Saturday in New Haven, Conn., ending a two-game losing streak only to drop the next day's contest against Holy Cross 5-4.
Whitney Waugh '08 scored twice in the rain on penalty corners, only a week after recording her first collegiate goal against New Hampshire.
Lindsay Gossage '06 had a goal and two assists, while Jessica Saraceno '06 notched three assists of her own. Abby Brown '07 scored the other Dartmouth goal, her second of the season.
Cat Lindroth was the only Yale player to find net, beating Lauren Balukjian '06 in the first half.
"Their goal was high over my head," Balukjian said, "I didn't even see it."
Balukjian credited her defense for keeping Yale to just nine shots, of which only three were on goal. While 10 of Dartmouth's 15 shots were on frame, the four that found the back of cage made the game Dartmouth's highest-scoring of the season.
Captain Laura Kistler '06 said the team's strategy was to keep the ball away from Yale's playmaker Harriet Thayer.
"We were trying to shut her down by keeping the ball off their right side and on ours," said Kistler.
Dartmouth held Thayer to no shots, assists, or goals.
"We took away from their strengths, and our kids played very well," said Dartmouth coach Amy Fowler. "We executed the game plan perfectly."
Players and coaches said that Dartmouth seems to play better in the rain.
"We play well in adverse conditions," Fowler said, "Weather wasn't a factor."
"We've always done really well playing in the rain," Kistler joked, "I don't know what it is -- maybe the barometric pressure."
The win brought Dartmouth back to the .500 mark with a 5-5 record (2-2 Ivy). Yale drops to 3-8, (Ivy 0-2).
Although not a conference game, the Sunday matchup with Holy Cross counted for regional rankings, which will come into consideration for postseason play.
Fowler said on Saturday that if her team plays its game, it will be tough to beat.
"I'm not concerned with what they do," she said, "I'm only concerned with our execution."
Apparently the execution was not what Fowler hoped it would be on Sunday.
Despite leading by two goals at halftime, Dartmouth field hockey gave up four consecutive second-half goals to fall 5-4 at Holy Cross.
Whitney Waugh '08 started the scoring on a penalty corner with her third goal of the weekend and fourth in three games.
Waugh has become the goal-scoring target on penalty corners, a set play that occurs after an infraction on the opposing team.
"I'm pleased that we're executing more on our offensive corners," Fowler said, "But our corner defense isn't as good."
It was poor defense that let Holy Cross back in the game.
Despite equaling their season-high output of four goals, Dartmouth could not manage to hang on to the lead.
After Megan Strout '08 scored with 33 seconds left in the first half to put Dartmouth up 3-1, Holy Cross countered with four quick goals.
Sara O'Coin scored twice and added an assist to put the Crusaders on top for good.
"We had control, and in the second half we just let them back in," said Fowler.
Lizzie Bildner '08 scored the game's last goal with just under a minute to play, but it had no effect on the final outcome.
Gossage notched the other Dartmouth goal. Gossage, Waugh and Saraceno had assists for the Big Green.
The loss knocks Dartmouth's record down to 5-6 overall, and Holy Cross improves to 7-6.
Dartmouth hosts Maine in its next contest at 12 p.m. on Sunday at Scully-Fahey Field.